


Atlas

by crimsonkitty



Category: Naruto
Genre: Angst, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Ninken | Ninja Dogs, Pre-Shippuden, Short, pretentious titles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-21
Updated: 2015-04-21
Packaged: 2018-03-25 00:35:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 574
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3790027
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crimsonkitty/pseuds/crimsonkitty
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kakashi does his duty after the Valley of the End.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Atlas

**Author's Note:**

> Coming directly from a conversation involving the words 'sad Kakashi' and 'Ninja dog army.' 
> 
> For Aya and Claire.

The quiet of the village cuts at Kakashi like a knife, the storm a blur of broken limbs and swirling leaves around him. The great gate looms ahead and the guards quickly wave him through, wide-eyed when they take in the unconscious child across his back and both of them soaked to the skin.

The boy is, miraculously, still alive when Kakashi finally hands him over. Extreme chakra depletion, burns and bruises over most of his body, and a strange raised bit of skin on his shoulder that none of the medical staff can explain. 

Worse, his skin is so pale it matches the bed sheets, and he murmurs in his sleep. Says things that Kakashi hopes the others aren't listening for. Shikamaru looks on with blank eyes as Naruto is placed into an empty bed next to his comrades. Kakashi can only spare him a nod that isn't returned. 

The Hokage tower dominates the blanket sky when he steps out of the hospital. As silent as the surrounding Konoha is, the opposite is true inside the great stronghold. A raised voice fills the air with demands and frenetic curses. 

The Hokage herself doesn't even glance in Kakashi's direction before ordering him out of her office until tomorrow. There are medical journals piled high on every part of her desk with staff bringing in more by the armful, overwrought shinobi elbowing Kakashi out of the way when he doesn't move fast enough. 

Outside, the village is still awake regardless of the hour, worry permeating their faces. The story has spread by now, how Hatake Kakashi brought only one boy home, and all Konoha can do is wait. There are no whispers. 

Umino Iruka's face, bleak in the light of the streetlamp, is the first to give Kakashi pause. Iruka's customary uniform is replaced with sleeping pants, casual and unexpectedly civilian. He watches Kakashi with strained eyes. 

Kakashi waves a hand over his shoulder as he passes. “He's at the hospital.” 

Iruka's footsteps take off in the other direction, muffled by the rainfall. 

Kakashi's apartment is the only one with the lights still out when he enters, trailing puddles after him. He flips the light switch to find himself face to face with eight sets of eyes in various states of sleep. 

Pakkun nods at him from atop Bull's head. “Yo.” 

Kakashi hums back, absentmindedly rubbing his hands over a few sets of perked ears as he kicks off his shoes and walks into his bedroom. 

He pulls off his flak jacket, his shirt and armor, his headband. Tosses them into a sopping pile in the corner except for the headband which is laid across the desk to dry. Hair drips in his eyes and he runs a hand through it before laying himself out on top of the bed covers, heedless of the rain soaking into his pillow. 

_I should dry off_ , he thinks, feeling the weight of his undershirt over his shoulders. Loose fists curl on the pillow in front of him, and he stares into the dark, sightless. 

He doesn't move when eight furry shapes settle in against him, a cold nose on the back of his neck. Doesn't let his hand thread through ears or fur or over paws. 

His vision goes black as something warm covers his eyes. 

“Go to sleep,” Pakkun's voice says in his ear.

His fingers twitch. A tongue licks across his palm. 

“Okay.” 

He is still.


End file.
